Updated note from the Medical Research
Council on developments concerning the National Institute for
Medical Research since July 2007, and on current plans for the
future of the Institute
The Government responded to the Select Committee
on Science and Technology's report on Research Council Institutes
on 30 July 2007. The Select Committee had commented on proposals
for the National Institute for Medical Research (NIMR) to relocate
to Central London close to a world class University, University
College London (UCL), and a first class teaching hospital, University
College London Hospitals (UCLH). The Committee had raised a number
of issues concerning the proposals. There was some concern about
the proposed site, the former National Temperance Hospital (NTH),
which members felt might not be large enough to meet the project
requirements. In addition, the Committee had recommended that
the MRC should develop a new plan for revitalising the NIMR on
a new site. The Government Response indicated that the MRC was
considering options other than the NTH, in particular a site adjacent
to the British Library, which offered considerably more space,
while remaining close to UCL and UCLH.
Since then the MRC has substantially revised
and broadened its original vision. The MRC has entered into a
consortium with Cancer Research UK (CRUK), the Wellcome Trust
and UCL to acquire jointly a site adjacent to the British Library
and to develop and fund jointly a Centre of excellence for basic
and translational bio-medical research; this is currently termed
"The BUSS Project". To that end, the Wellcome Trust,
on behalf of the consortium, has made a bid to purchase the site.
We understand that the Department for Culture, Media and Sport
(DCMS), the current owner of the site, is currently considering
that bid against two other short-listed competitors. A final decision
on the preferred bidder is expected shortly and DCMS plans to
complete the exchange by the end of the year.
Before submitting the bid, the consortium appointed
a team of professionals to undertake a feasibility study on the
site to ensure that it was capable of accommodating anticipated
requirements and to prepare indicative costs for one or two buildings.
The professionals demonstrated that the site is suitable and that
there is sufficient space to accommodate a Research Centre of
the currently proposed size. An outline Business Case for the
new project has been prepared and is currently being considered
by the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills (DIUS).
In line with the requirements of the Lyons Agenda, HM Treasury
has accepted the case for the project to be located in London.
A Gateway Review of the new project is planned for January 2008.
It is proposed that the site will eventually
be owned and managed by a charitable company set up by the members
of the consortium. The options for how this might best be achieved
are currently under review. It is planned that once the company
has been set up and received charitable status, ownership of the
land will be transferred from the Wellcome Trust, on behalf of
the consortium, to the company. A design team (including professional
project management) will be appointed by the consortium in 2008
in anticipation of entering into a building contract for the development
in 2009 or 2010. It is hoped that the new buildings will be ready
for occupation sometime in 2013.
28 November 2007
|
